I knew it would be difficult to recover from Sunday's ride and execute this week's planned training. Monday was pretty rough, so I only swam 1800 yards, but I had a pretty good 7.5 mile run, choosing a course straight uphill into the wind on the way out. It's rollers all the way, and I ran on sidewalk most of the time. I was pretty trashed after that, and slept really well Monday night.
Tuesday morning I still felt trashed, knowing in my head that a normal person would have taken Monday as a rest day, or run maybe on a soft surface, but I'm not normal, so I didn't, and yet I headed to the pool and knocked out 3000 yards, albeit slowly, and decided I'd better run on trail if I wanted to have any legs left at the end of the day. So I headed to Waterfall Glen and decided I'd just do 8 miles out and back. It was yet another gorgeous day to run. Two in a row! I was stoked, and fucking tired.
It was Tuesday that I decided I would begin my taper for Triple T by cutting out all the extra pushups, chinups, crunches and jump rope. I just couldn't see doing all that in addition to a goal of 45 miles of running as part of a 19-20 hour training week. Plus my little stick arms were a bit sore from all the climbing on Sunday. It was hard for me to JUST SAY NO to the extra stuff, and this may be the end of it for the season since I'll start riding my bike to the outdoor pool right after Triple T, and I just don't have the time for 18+ hours of training, :30 of stretching daily, a massage once a week and biking to/from the pool 3 times a week. Oh and manage to feed myself, wash dishes, bottles and laundry, get my yard in shape and keep it maintained, keep up friendships and throw in a few races!
I slept really well again Tuesday night (are we seeing a pattern here?), but still felt like I wasn't fully recovered from Sunday. Ya fucking think??? I was intentionally shelling myself knowing that hey, I've felt way worse in an Ironman or during Triple T's Sunday race or well, just in general--I mean nothing feels as bad as grief or being treated poorly by someone who is or who you thought was close to you.
Wednesday morning I knocked out 3300 yards in the pool, and I was actually swimming at a decent pace, so I could tell I was starting to be recovered (in the bizarre way that I define recovery) from Sunday. But I still needed a can of Ultra Violence to perk me up a bit for my run, and I decided I needed to run flat-ish, so I just headed west from home and ran along a route that I sometimes bike on, so the run served dual duty as reconnaissance. Still, it wasn't completely flat, as that just doesn't exist where I live, and I actually felt hot. I also fucked up a split on my watch (because I had stopped to piss or something), and tried to remember how long ago I had started up again but couldn't figure it out, so I just decided to keep going to some "logical" turn point which happened to be 4.3 miles out, and I turned around and made it back home feeling ultra fucking tired, but I had time to get into the bath tub (for the first time ever in the new bathroom!) and soak my legs in some cold water. I showered, dried off, put on my compression tights and actually thought I might feel ok the next day. I did stretch more in the evening (I've been stretching a little in the sauna after each swim), and thought I was starting to feel human again.
Today I woke up, again after sleeping really deeply and well, and did a short swim of 1900 yards just so I'd hit 10,000 for the week (I may still swim Sat. or Sun. not sure yet). I felt hungry while I was swimming, so I know my metabolism is all jacked up. Running a lot will do that to me. Luckily, my buddy the lifeguard, Vladko (who is the Masters coach), offered me half of a Clif Bar Nectar in a new flavor I hadn't tried--Cherry Pomegranate. It was tasty (I'm going to order a couple of boxes for snacks), and I washed it down with the rest of the coffee I had brought to the pool with me (you know I'm training hard when I forego Gatorade and just go with coffee or Ultra Violence while I swim), headed to the showers where I shaved down and then got in the sauna and stretched a little bit.
I hadn't planned on tapering down my strength training until next week, but since I'm not really tapering swim/bike/run until the week of Triple T, I figured what the hell let's start a strength taper this week. And I felt good enough after swimming this morning (since it was short) that I could knock out some of my weekly strength workout before heading out to run again.
I could tell while lifting that I am really pushing my own envelope. My muscles are pretty gnarly right now, but hey, I'm getting a great tan with all the sunshine while I'm running, so who the fuck cares??? I knocked out :41 of non-stop strength training, and now I'm getting ready to head to Waterfall Glen to knock out another 8 miles of running. As of this minute, I feel pretty good, but I'm trying to decide whether a Coke will do the trick or I need the Ultra Violence again. I'm thinking Ultra Violence since it feels like my tapeworm has taken up residence again and I could use the extra 30 calories and caffeine over Coke. I feel like I'm eating non-stop pretty much from when I wake up until I fall asleep, and yet waking up hungry and feeling hungry even while I'm eating!
I FUCKING LOVE THIS STUFF!!!!
Showing posts with label tapeworm. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tapeworm. Show all posts
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Getting the Lead Out
It would be an understatement for me to say I have been pushing myself in training. Now that I find myself having done 2 HIM's (effectively) in 3 weeks (not recommended for those without significant base), I'm really feeling it.
I took Sunday off. On Monday I did an easy 2800 yard drill workout, and then I lifted for an hour. The swim felt good and there was no way I could have done a hard workout. The lifting is not a cardio workout, so no problem there, but in retrospect I should have dropped weight on each exercise for this week only--not like I'd lose any strength there. I woke up at midnight and had to eat something, so I had 2 slices of toast and a chicken leg. Apparently, I was still catching up on my calories from the weekend, although I estimated I burned 3,000 on Saturday doing the workouts, and add in another maybe 2,000 for my RMR, I needed about 5,000. I definitely took in at least 4,000, but sometimes on days when I don't workout, like Sunday, I don't eat enough. Which is why I'm waiting for a personal trainer I know to hook me up with someone who can measure my RMR exactly so I know how much I need to eat. I'm pretty sure it's more than I am customarily eating.
I began paying for that weight workout yesterday. I was supposed to run for 1:15 easy, but my legs were telling me NO, NO, NO. But I figured I could do elliptical. I ended up doing 1:05 of some course called "Around the World." The screen looked like Space Invaders. I had no problem doing the workout, and when I got the machine to tell me my HR, it was perfect for a solid, easy aerobic workout. But when I got off the machine, I had jelly legs something fierce. Probably because my calves had stopped working.
I stretched out really well last night, but when I woke up today, I could still feel my calves being all tight. So I decided to do a pulling workout this morning instead of my scheduled workout, because kicking would just not be happening. Turns out that I swam strongly, so the extra pushups I've started doing must be helping out there . I'm working my way up to the EXCELLENT rating for this test, so I need to get up to 60. I can do 40-50 easily, which already qualifies as excellent, but I want a 100%, and to be able to do a full 60 every day. I am not sure why, but it can't hurt me, right?
So I do the pull workout (with fine, fine scenery in my lane, thank you) and later, I look at my scheduled bike workout:
WU: 15' wup, 3' spinups
MS: 3 x 2' (1') @ 105%, 2' Easy,
4 x (6' @ FT then 2' @ 105-110%, 3' Easy),
8 x 30/30'
CD: 4' Easy
I wasn't sure I'd be able to manage it, but turns out I did just fine. Well, for the first 3 of the FT intervals I was fine...the last one I lost a little power on, but overall I was surprised to be able to nail this. Trust me, it's a hard workout! My calves still haven't settled down, but I think it's still after effect of the elliptical, so they should be fine by tomorrow.
So now that I've confirmed my legs are working again, perhaps with a good night's rest I'll be able to bust out a nice tempo run tomorrow. I'm looking forward to running, and now that the weather is approaching reliable for outdoor running, even better.
On the tapeworm front, I continue to be on the Food Channel since the weekend. I laughed and told my lane mate this morning that I was going to start bringing cheeseburgers to the pool! Somehow I have managed to eat only a handful of those crack-loaded Doritos Hint of Lime chips. Last night I ate until I was almost uncomfortably full, and even after eating a light breakfast and drinking Gatorade during my swim workout, I felt pretty underfueled. But that must just be the recovery fatigue talking. My weight hasn't budged.
I have a massage scheduled for tomorrow, and for the first time in several months, I feel like I really need it.
I took Sunday off. On Monday I did an easy 2800 yard drill workout, and then I lifted for an hour. The swim felt good and there was no way I could have done a hard workout. The lifting is not a cardio workout, so no problem there, but in retrospect I should have dropped weight on each exercise for this week only--not like I'd lose any strength there. I woke up at midnight and had to eat something, so I had 2 slices of toast and a chicken leg. Apparently, I was still catching up on my calories from the weekend, although I estimated I burned 3,000 on Saturday doing the workouts, and add in another maybe 2,000 for my RMR, I needed about 5,000. I definitely took in at least 4,000, but sometimes on days when I don't workout, like Sunday, I don't eat enough. Which is why I'm waiting for a personal trainer I know to hook me up with someone who can measure my RMR exactly so I know how much I need to eat. I'm pretty sure it's more than I am customarily eating.
I began paying for that weight workout yesterday. I was supposed to run for 1:15 easy, but my legs were telling me NO, NO, NO. But I figured I could do elliptical. I ended up doing 1:05 of some course called "Around the World." The screen looked like Space Invaders. I had no problem doing the workout, and when I got the machine to tell me my HR, it was perfect for a solid, easy aerobic workout. But when I got off the machine, I had jelly legs something fierce. Probably because my calves had stopped working.
I stretched out really well last night, but when I woke up today, I could still feel my calves being all tight. So I decided to do a pulling workout this morning instead of my scheduled workout, because kicking would just not be happening. Turns out that I swam strongly, so the extra pushups I've started doing must be helping out there . I'm working my way up to the EXCELLENT rating for this test, so I need to get up to 60. I can do 40-50 easily, which already qualifies as excellent, but I want a 100%, and to be able to do a full 60 every day. I am not sure why, but it can't hurt me, right?
So I do the pull workout (with fine, fine scenery in my lane, thank you) and later, I look at my scheduled bike workout:
WU: 15' wup, 3' spinups
MS: 3 x 2' (1') @ 105%, 2' Easy,
4 x (6' @ FT then 2' @ 105-110%, 3' Easy),
8 x 30/30'
CD: 4' Easy
I wasn't sure I'd be able to manage it, but turns out I did just fine. Well, for the first 3 of the FT intervals I was fine...the last one I lost a little power on, but overall I was surprised to be able to nail this. Trust me, it's a hard workout! My calves still haven't settled down, but I think it's still after effect of the elliptical, so they should be fine by tomorrow.
So now that I've confirmed my legs are working again, perhaps with a good night's rest I'll be able to bust out a nice tempo run tomorrow. I'm looking forward to running, and now that the weather is approaching reliable for outdoor running, even better.
On the tapeworm front, I continue to be on the Food Channel since the weekend. I laughed and told my lane mate this morning that I was going to start bringing cheeseburgers to the pool! Somehow I have managed to eat only a handful of those crack-loaded Doritos Hint of Lime chips. Last night I ate until I was almost uncomfortably full, and even after eating a light breakfast and drinking Gatorade during my swim workout, I felt pretty underfueled. But that must just be the recovery fatigue talking. My weight hasn't budged.
I have a massage scheduled for tomorrow, and for the first time in several months, I feel like I really need it.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Guess Who's Back?
This guy. I missed him. He's about a month early, though, based on appearances in prior years, and he's H-U-N-G-R-Y. Maybe it's the extra energy I'm expending on my THIRD job. Maybe it's hanging out at 15 or so hours per week of training. Maybe I've been workin' it hard, especially on the bike. Maybe I need to start wearing an HRM again so I can see how much I'm burning. Maybe I need to get my RMR measured again.
It can only mean one thing--I need to eat MORE! Towards that end, you will now find peanut butter in my house (a couple of tablespoons makes a nice snack), Gummi bears (replacing the Easter jelly beans which have become tiresome), chips (I SWEAR they put Crack into the Doritos Hint of Lime), good hard cheeses (Reggianno Parmesan and Locatelli Romano), and now I realize it's time to stock up on cookies (raspberry Fig Newtons are my favorite). And I'm eating pasta a few times a week. Yesterday I actually saved coupons for Steak 'n Shake, so I'll have to get there this weekend--not that I need coupons--they just reminded me that I should go there. I'm not too keen on milkshakes (or ice cream except on rare occasions), but a steakburger and cheese fries? HIT ME!
I'm already plotting my treats for after my next NothingMan--on 3/28 I'm doing a Sprint NothingMan and on 3/29 instead of a Half NothingMan, I'm going to do 2 Olympics back to back like we do in Triple T--effectively, swim, bike, run, bike swim run. Oh joy! I have even begun designs for NothingMan swimsuits: (women's) and (men's). If you have any ideas or want to submit a design for a NothingMan suit, fire away and send me the link!
Today I did these workouts:
Swim: WU: 200 swim, 200 kick, 200 pull, 200 drill
MS: 30 x 50 (10"), as odds Hard, evens Easy.
100 easy swim.
2 x 300 (15") pull, Steady with excellent stroke.
CD: 100 easy swim
Bike: I figured I should take it easy, so I did 1:15 worth of Spinervals Totally Time Trial, only I "overdid" their % ranges (what is it supposed to be a percent of?) by at least 5% on the hard intervals. TSS=103. I didn't think I could hit 100 today, but hey, what the hell. I've got my trainer (TACX is awesome) so I'm overgeared, since I have a compact crankset on LGL, and I prefer the middle cogs of the big chainring.
I wrote down a track workout for tomorrow, but I'll need to see how my legs feel. They were pretty toasty yesterday, a little sluggish (for me) today on the bike, but it was only 1:15 so I should be fine tomorrow.
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